This invention relates to a tool for pulling axes from vehicles. More specifically, this invention relates to a tool for pulling an axle assembly from a transaxle case on front wheel drive vehicles.
In front wheel drive vehicles, the engine drives a transaxle spanning between the two front wheels. The transaxle, in turn, drives an axle assembly at each end, and the axle assemblies then drive the front wheels. The transaxle is not directly connected to the wheels because the wheels must be steerable. Thus, two axle assemblies, one at each end of the transaxle, are connected to the transaxle via a special joint known as a constant velocity or "CV" joint. The CV joint is a fairly complicated assembly of drive shaft, cage, race bearings, ball bearings, and lubricant. It must work smoothly and with minimum friction.
Occasionally, the CV joint and the wheel axle must be removed from the transaxle of the vehicle for repair of maintenance. Heretofore, removal of the CV joint and wheel axle has been no easy task because the CV joint is located in an area which has limited access. That is, access space is severaly limited between the axle assembly and the transaxle for positioning tools to separate the assembly from the transaxle.
One special prior art tool for removing axle assemblies is known as the axle removing rod. The rod has a C-ring affixed at one end and a slide hammer at the other. The C-ring is positioned transverse to the rod, so that an operator can approach the axle assembly from a side of the vehicle and use the rod to reach around the assembly and position the C-ring over the axle on the side of the assembly opposite the operator. While holding the C-ring in place against one side of the axle assembly, the operator rams the slide hammer against the end of the rod opposite the C-ring. The rod transmits the force of the slide hammer to the C-ring and, thus, to the axle assembly to jar the assembly loose and separate the assembly from the transaxle.
There are several problems with such a prior art tool. First, it requires the operator to hold the rod with one hand so that the C-ring firmly abuts the axle assembly while simultaneously operating the slide hammer with the other hand. Second, the many parts block direct access to the area between the transaxle and axle assembly. Third, such tools are bulky and relatively expensive. Fourth, they cannot be packaged for display on the more popular types of tool display boards, which are designed for much smaller tools. Fifth, because the sizes of CV joints vary and yet each axle removing rod has only one size of C-clamp, each such tool is usable to remove only one size of CV joint.
Thus, it is an object of the present invention to provide a tool for removing axle assemblies from front wheel drive vehicles that is inexpensive, less bulky, and capable of being packaged in relatively small packaging.
It is another object of the present invention to provide such a tool that does not require the operator to manually hold an axle clamp, such as a C-clamp, in place on the axle while using the tool.
Yet another object is to provide such a tool that allows the operator to approach the axle assembly from an easily accessible area, such as under the vehicle, and then move to the side of the car to exert force on the tool.
A further object is to provide such a tool that allows removal of the axle without requiring direct access for a rigid rod between the side of the car and axle assembly.
An additional object is to provide a single axle assembly removing tool that is usable to remove axle assemblies on differing sizes of CV joints.
There are other objects and advantages of the present invention. They will become apparent below.